Anyone, Anytime, Anyplace: A Ficlet Collection
by Lady Knight 1512
Summary: Ch 13: Damon is not the kind of guy men want for their daughters. Full Table of Contents in CH 1. CH's 12 and 13 added Oct 10, 2011
1. Table of Contents

**A Quick Note**

This collection of _Vampire Diaries_ ficlets was borne of extreme boredom and an urge to write. They're quick little stories, all independent of each other. The only thing they have in common is that they're all concerning the characters of the TVD TV series.

Each piece will be complete in its own right, though the collection itself will remain ongoing. I'll add to it whenever I have something to add, so if you want to stay on top of things, I recommend putting the story on alert. Below, you'll find a Table of Contents, which I'll update every time I add a story, so you can look through the list, read the individual summaries, see the characters, and choose which ones to read, if you don't want to read them all. They'll be in the order they appear in the drop down menu.

Believe me when I say that the ideas for each piece are completely random, so if you have a prompt that you think you'd like me to fill, please, feel free to leave it in a review, or PM it to me. Considering the nature of this collection, I'll be open to almost anything, so long as it _**isn't**_ smut (trust me, it's better that way) or slash. I also refuse to write Bamon (sorry if that's your thing, but I just can't wrap my head around it) and I'm not a particular fan of Stelena either (Delena, all the way). Taking all that into account, I'll do my best with what you give me.

Enjoy!

**Table of Contents**

**High School Girls (K)  
**Damon-centric, mentions of Stefan/Elena  
_Stefan has failed to consider one minor detail about his girlfriend: her age._

**(Be Careful) What You Wish For (T)  
**Caroline-centric, mentions of Caroline/Matt and Caroline/Tyler  
_The old saying is true: be careful what you wish for._

**Joust (T)  
**Katherine-centric, implied Katherine/Stefan and Katherine/Damon  
_There are no knights, only little boys who think they understand more of the world than they truly do._

**Defining Love (light M)  
**Damon-centric, mentions of Damon/Elena  
_It wasn't so long ago that love equalled sex or blood. Or sex and blood._

**Sinking (light M)  
**Damon/Elena  
_It happened before she had a chance to resist but either way, she didn't want to._

**Forfeit (K)  
**Katherine-centric, implied Katherine/Klaus  
_Remember tonight…for it is the beginning of always._

**Vampires Don't Wear Leather Jackets (K)  
**Elena-centric, crack!fic  
_"H__ave you seen what's on TV lately? What passes for a vampire in film? They're wearing leather jackets for God's sake. _Leather_ jackets!"_

**Choices (T)  
**Stefan/Elena/Damon  
_S__he stills wakes up sometimes, wrapped in their arms, and knows she's a hypocrite. But she understands now, how easy it must have been for Katherine to just keep them both._

**God Gave Us Memories (K)**  
Liz-centric, musings on Caroline  
_Murderer. Bloodsucker. Vampire. Monster. Caroline, her Caroline, is none of those things._

**Family Night (K)**  
Elena-centric, implied Stefan/Elena and Damon/Elena  
_"Damon, what is this?" He smiles down at her, shrugs and says, "Family Night."_

**With the Best Intentions (K)  
**Elijah-centric, with Elijah/Jenna undertones  
_Of all the things Elijah would have expected to throw him off kilter, Jenna Sommers wouldn't even have made the shortlist._

**(Sorta Step-) Daddy's Girl (T)  
**Ric-centric, implied Damon/Elena  
_Damon is not the kind of guy men want for their daughters._


	2. High School Girls

**Title:** High School Girls  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Damon, mentions of Elena and Stefan  
**Pairing: **None, but references to Stefan/Elena  
**Genre:** Angst  
**Rating: **G  
**Summary: **Stefan has failed to consider one minor detail about his girlfriend: her age.  
**Spoilers: **None, but everything up to 2x11 is assumed  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Word Count: **423  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**- o – o – o -**

As much as it pains Damon to admit it sometimes, Stefan is not a complete idiot. Sure, he can be oblivious, but who hasn't been accused of that at least once in their life?

Elena, however, is to be his eternal blind spot.

For example, it would seem that Stefan has failed to consider one minor detail about his girlfriend.

Her age.

Amidst all the supernatural goings on, and constant fighting for their lives, it's easy to overlook. Doesn't help that she's always acting about ten years older than she is either. But none of that changes the fact that Elena is a seventeen year old girl.

And seventeen year old girls? They turn into eighteen year old young women. Eighteen year old young women who leave home, and go off to college, and make something of themselves.

It seems kind of screwed up to Damon, who prefers living in the now, that his little brother, always one to question every action and its consequences, hasn't thought over Elena's future in terms of himself and their relationship.

Clearly, leaving Mystic Falls and going to college is not a possibility for Elena's future: it's a certainty. And obviously there's nothing to stop Stefan following her to wherever she chooses to go.

But, see, Damon has spent a lot of time over the past century and a half with high school girls and college girls, and he knows that when people go to college, they change. They develop wider interests, and meet new people, and all the things they used to have in common with their high school sweethearts dwindles into virtually nothing.

He knows, deep down in the marrow of his bones, that Elena will be one of those girls. How could she not be, when she's obviously so much bigger than this stupid, back-of-nowhere town?

She'll come back for the summers, Damon knows, and she'll check in with him and Stefan, because they're a part of her life and she loves them. But then her summers in Mystic will shorten, in favour of girly road trips through the south, or maybe down the west coast. And when she graduates, she'll move to a big city and get a job and then she'll never come back.

She'll meet a man, get married, have kids. And maybe, one day in the very distant future, she'll remember the Salvatore Brothers, who came into her life, turned it upside down, loved her more than they loved even their own lives.

He hopes she smiles when she does.


	3. Be Careful What You Wish For

**Title:** (Be Careful) What You Wish For  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Caroline, mentions of Matt, Tyler and Elena  
**Pairing: **References to Caroline/Matt and Caroline/Tyler  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Rating: **PG  
**Summary: **The old saying is true: be careful what you wish for.  
**Spoilers: **Up to and including 2x11, and the promo for 2x12  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Word Count: **374  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**- o – o – o -**

Her whole life she's played second fiddle to Elena Gilbert, and for as long as she can remember, she's wanted whatever Elena had. Nothing was sacred. She wanted Elena's long, soft hair; her big chestnut-coloured eyes; her olive complexion; her endless legs. She wanted the attention the boys showered on her without Elena even having to _try_.

Well, if there's one thing she's learned recently (apart from, you know, how to stalk cute woodland creatures and that alcohol works wonders on her mental stability) it's that that old saying is true.

Be careful what you wish for.

She's been dodging Tyler and Matt for a week, which she thinks is pretty impressive, considering they all attend the same school, Matt works at the only worthwhile eatery in town, and Tyler is a werewolf with a sense of smell to rival her own.

Does she feel guilty? Yes, definitely. Her recent conversations with Matt have indicated she wouldn't be against renewing their relationship, and Tyler, well, he just _needs_ her, because God knows no one else (that he's aware of) knows what the hell he's going through right now.

They both want her, like, _want_ want her. So basically, she's screwed because she'd rather die (like, properly) than hurt either of them. And she can't choose between them without doing just that.

And that's the other screwy thing. How exactly is she supposed to choose? Because she loves them both, but for different reasons.

Matt is safe and ordinary and puppy-dog faithful; Tyler is strong and proud and completely unapologetic.

Matt loves her for who she is (was), not because she was the only one around while he experienced a traumatic experience. He'll never know what she is and she likes that, likes pretending that everything is the way it was before Katherine killed her. But she likes not having to lie either, likes that Tyler just seems to _get her_. He isn't afraid of what she might do. More importantly, _she_ isn't afraid of what she might do.

The question is which she prefers.

Honestly, if Elena's relationship with Damon and Stefan is anything like this, Caroline doesn't know why she doesn't just lock her bedroom door and hide under her bed all day.


	4. Joust

**Title:** Joust  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Katherine, mentions of Stefan and Damon  
**Pairing: **Implied Stefan/Katherine and Damon/Katherine  
**Genre:** Drama  
**Rating: **PG

**Summary: **There are no knights, only little boys who think they understand more of the world than they truly do.  
**Spoilers: **None  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Word Count: **491  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**- o – o – o -**

_**Joust**__ n. a combat in which two armoured knights or men-at-arms on horseback opposed each other with lances._

**- o – o – o -**

It's an old-fashioned joust is what it is. Katherine would know; she was around to watch the sport in its prime after all.

The key differences between what she saw then and what she sees now?

One: there are no knights, only little boys who think they understand more of the world than they truly do.

Granted, Damon isn't completely innocent, not as innocent as his brother anyway. He has experienced war, seen the lengths men will go to, to preserve their ideals. He knows that there is evil in the world, and yet it does not touch his own. Not that he is aware, in any case.

Two: the lances have been exchanged for words.

On first glance, it might appear that Damon has the advantage considering this choice of weapon. He says what he thinks, tells it like it is, and if the truth hurts then that's just a shame for you. But what Stefan lacks in inhibition he makes up for in sincerity. Damon can't take what he gives so easily; he can't bear to hear the truth about himself and his own failings. Delivered as these disguised barbs are by his brother, Damon might as well consider himself defeated already.

Three: the idea is not to not get hurt; it is to not let the hurt show.

Even Stefan, whose every emotion just about pours out of his eyes, has learned to put up that wall and harden his gaze. Possibly he is trying to appear older, make up for the number of years between himself and Damon. If he only knew how age means nothing to her, and how it will one day mean nothing to him.

Stefan, for all his efforts, wears the disguise better than his brother, so perhaps his plan is working. Damon's hurt and jealousy and loneliness are plain on his face for all to see. It might be endearing if it didn't get so old so fast. She'll just have to endeavour to harden him up. There is only just enough patience in her to tolerate one emotional Salvatore, and she would rather like to keep the set.

In the way of similarities there is only that both competitors know they are playing for a prize. What they do not realise is that neither of them can win, not in the way they want. Both can have her, yes, but never for their own. There is no way she will let Stefan out of her grasp, not anymore, and she simply sees too much potential in Damon to let him get away either.

What a pretty pair they will make for her, one on each arm, from now until the end of time…or at least until she gets bored and finds someone else to play with. Until then, however, she will content herself with this Tug of War game she has created, and pull the Salvatore Brothers deeper into her web.


	5. Defining Love

**Title:** Defining Love  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Damon, mentions of Elena and various others  
**Pairing: **Damon/Elena  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Rating: **PG-13/light M

**Summary: **It wasn't so long ago that love equalled sex or blood. Or sex _and_ blood.  
**Spoilers: **up to and including 2x08  
**Warning(s): **Minor language  
**Word Count: **195  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**A/N:** Written for the New Year's Comment Ficathon hosted by **thewordmap** at **onelastfic** on LiveJournal.

**- o – o – o -**

Defining love isn't as easy as it used to be. It wasn't so long ago that love equalled sex or blood. Or sex _and_ blood. "Love" was just a word, a synonym for "instant gratification."

Maybe Katherine taught him that, in her own skewed, completely fucked up way. Maybe he learned it on his own as he fed and compelled his way through a century and a half's worth of women.

But if there's one thing he knows for sure nowadays, it's that his life is _nothing_ like it used to be. And "love" has long since stopped meaning anything it used to.

It's all her fault. Elena's. For making him feel, for making him _want_ to feel, not just for her, but for others. For Stefan, for Liz, for Ric, Caroline, Jeremy. Even Bonnie, when he has his moments.

Somehow, she made him stop thinking of love as something that pertained only to himself. Because he loves her. _Loves_ her. And he let her go. For Stefan. There's just nothing about it that makes sense.

As far as he can tell, there's only one easy point when it comes to defining love:

It hurts.


	6. Sinking

**Title:** Sinking

**Series:** Anyone, Anytime, Anyplace ficlet collection

**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512

**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)

**Characters:** Damon, Elena, a mention of Caroline

**Pairing: **Damon/Elena

**Genre:** Romance

**Rating: **light M

**Summary: **It happened before she had a chance to resist but either way, she didn't want to.

**Spoilers: **None

**Warning(s): **Implied sex

**Word Count: **229

**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**A/N:** Written for **The Vampire Diaries Comment Ficathon** hosted by **thewordmap** at **onelastfic** on LiveJournal.

**- o – o – o -**

He first bit her on a Tuesday. It happened before she had a chance to resist but either way, she didn't want to.

He had been pressing heated kisses down the length of her throat; her fingers had tightened around the hair at the nape of his neck. Her breathy sigh was matched by his tortured groan and then...

Two sharp pricks. A brief flare of pain. A strange pulsing sensation.

Caroline had told her once, recalling her "relationship" with Damon, how it felt to be bitten. How usually it hurt but then sometimes, when he was feeling sweet, it could be a pleasure so unbearable she almost wanted to scream to make it stop.

For Elena, it was like the warmth of sinking into a steaming bath. Her eyelids drooped, her whole body relaxed, her mind drifted away into half-formed dreams.

Still, she knew the instant what he'd done registered in his head. One minute he was there, in her arms, folding her into him, the next he was backing up to the opposite wall, eyes wild, lips red.

Elena felt cold and lonely.

"I'm sorry."

His voice carried a string of emotions: fear, desire, regret, lust. He had promised to never bite her. She could reprimand him, turn her back, walk away, hold him at arms length until she was certain it wouldn't happen again.

"I'm not."


	7. Forfeit

**Title:** Forfeit  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Katherine Pierce, Klaus  
**Pairing: **Katherine/Klaus  
**Genre:** General  
**Rating: **G

**Summary: **Remember tonight…for it is the beginning of always.  
**Spoilers: **up to 2x16  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Word Count: **244  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**A/N:** Written for the Comment Ficathon hosted by **thewordmap** at **onelastfic** on LiveJournal.

**- o – o – o -**

She remembers the precise moment her life was forfeit.

It was a grand ball, far grander than any she had ever been to before, though no one would have known it from her elaborate gown or the way she mingled. No one could have guessed she had been disowned by her shamed family, that there was a little girl somewhere on the continent with the same blood in her tiny veins.

She was enjoying herself, laughing and eying her male admirers coyly over her fluttering fan, when she saw him.

He was not particularly tall, nor was he dark-haired, as was generally her preference.

She turned to one of her hangers' on. "Who is that man? The blonde one across the room, beside the stern looking gentleman with the brown hair?"

"His name is Klaus."

"Klaus." His name name felt strange in her mouth, unaccustomed now to pronouncing those European words. "Klaus what?"

The woman shrugged, not delicately. "Just Klaus."

He turned directly towards them as if he knew they were discussing him; he blatantly met her eyes across the floor. Then he approached, stepping through a crowd which parted for him unconsciously.

He stopped before her; she felt her heart flutter in her chest.

"Miss Pierce." He bowed low over her hand.

"Please," she replied, fan lowered now to expose her face and throat. "Call me Katherine."

She remembers the precise moment her life was forfeit, for it was the beginning of always.


	8. Vampires Don't Wear Leather Jackets

**Title:** Vampires Don't Wear Leather Jackets  
**Chapter: **1/1

**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Elena Gilbert  
**Pairing: **one very vague reference to Elena/Damon  
**Genre:** Humor(/Crack)  
**Rating: **G

**Summary: **"Have you _seen_ what's on TV lately? What passes for a vampire in film? They're wearing leather jackets for God's sake. _Leather_ jackets!"  
**Spoilers: **none  
**Warning(s): **crack!fic, and a dig a Twilight  
**Word Count: **558  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.

**A/N:** I don't know where this came from, okay? Also, I wrote it in about 10 minutes and it hasn't been what I would considered "edited", just generally cleaned up because once I'd written it I figured I might as well do something with it, and if something is being posted, I figure it should at least all be in the same tense. Maybe that's just me. Please don't judge.

**- o – o – o -**

The various ironies and coincidences that always manage to work their way into Elena's life ceased having any particular mental affect on her sometime around Katherine coming to town that first time. The best reaction she can generally work up these days is an eyeroll or a perked brow.

It's not like she ever expected the paranormal wouldn't make some sort of appearance in her creative writing workshops. It is, after all, "creative writing"; she can hardly blame the wider population for not having access to the sort of information and life experience that she's had.

Still, when the class is divided into groups to discuss and outline a character for a particular supernatural species, and she is inevitably assigned to the group working on vampires, she wants to bang her head through a wall.

There is truly no escape.

"Vampires," says Katie, a slightly pretentious girl originally from Boston, "have really slipped in recent years."

Drawing curling motifs around the edge of her pages and calling to mind Klaus, Elena might be inclined to disagree with this statement, but considering Katie is talking in terms of literature, she bites her tongue.

Katie continues, "I mean, have you _seen_ what's on TV lately? What passes for a vampire in film? They're wearing leather jackets for God's sake. _Leather_ jackets!"

"What's wrong with a vampire in a leather jacket?" Elena speaks now because she can't help herself and because she feels morally obligated to stand up for Damon's leather jacket (one of many anyway), which had been flung so carelessly across her bedroom when he dropped by the night before to pay her a surprise visit.

Katie rolls her eyes and shares what can only be a pitying glance with the other two girls around their table, girls more commonly referred to as Katie's Minions.

"Elena, vampires are monsters." Katie speaks slowly, to ensure Elena understands presumably.

Elena shrugs. "Which means they can't wear leather jackets?"

Katie shakes her head, her shiny red hair flying, and Katie's Minions mimic their mistress. "The leather jacket is a poor attempt at giving contemporary vampires a place in society by casting them in the role of the bad boy. It's done in an effort to appeal to the female audience by making the vampire a rebel, an outcast, a James Dean."

Elena bristles now, outraged on Damon's behalf. "And what's wrong with that? Women love bad boys. So what? Probably makes it easier when the vampire takes a lunch break."

She honestly can't believe she just said that. If Damon could hear her now, he'd be smirking up a storm.

"So…you don't care about the deterioration of vampires in popular culture?"

Elena throws up her hands. "As far as I'm concerned, vampires can where whatever the hell they want! Leather jackets, plaid shirts, skinny jeans. It doesn't make any difference! If you want to talk about the deterioration of vampires in popular culture, don't you think you should be more focused on vampires that sparkle?"

Through the rant-induced haze comes a quiet gasp; Elena and Katie both turn to stare at the more mousy of Katie's Minions.

Elena has never had reason to pay much attention to the girl outside of noting her pale skin and non-descript brown hair so it was only now that she remembers.

The girl's name is Bella.


	9. Choices

**Title:** Choices  
**Chapter: **1/1  
**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert, Damon Salvatore  
**Pairing: **references to Stefan/Elena/Damon  
**Genre:** Romance  
**Rating: **T  
**Summary: **She stills wakes up sometimes, wrapped in their arms, and knows she's a hypocrite. But she understands now, how easy it must have been for Katherine to just keep them both.  
**Spoilers: **none  
**Warning(s): **three-way relationship  
**Word Count: **577  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**A/N:** I've never written anything like this before. Actually, OT3's have never interested me before period but, even though I still am and will always be a Delena shipper a heart, the idea of Stefan/Elena/Damon just _works_ for me. This was more just an experiment, to see if I could write something along the lines of OT3, so the relationship is really just referenced, but given how this turned out I might see if I can write something more explicitly OT3, if people don't think it sucks too bad.

**- o – o – o -**

Stefan made a choice.

Early on he had the opportunity to leave, to walk out of her life completely. At that point, she would have gotten over it eventually. Like all other teenage girls before her she would have catalogued her heartbreak in her diary, cried herself to sleep, and then woken the next day to begin getting on with her life.

Only he _didn't_ leave. Logan came to town, and then they made love, and then she found out about Katherine and that she was adopted, and there was a rogue vampire on the loose, and everything snowballed until it was just one thing after another. There was barely enough time to breathe, let alone pack a bag.

Then there's Damon.

Even after everything, all the torture and mindless violence and in-your-face antagonism, Damon is his brother and he's so much more than that one little word communicates. He is his best friend and his worst enemy, and the only other person on the planet who can get so far inside his head and under his skin that Stefan almost itches.

Stefan loves her.

Stefan loves him.

Stefan chose to stay.

**- o – o – o -**

Elena couldn't choose.

She might hate herself if they didn't love her so much, her boys. Because she stills wakes up sometimes, wrapped in their arms, and feels Katherine's ghost hovering over her. She knows she's a hypocrite. She knows she's damned herself to an eternity of stares and gossip and treading carefully so as not to favour one over the other.

She knows she should have picked, or sent them both on their way out of her life. She should not have done this to them. She had promised herself so faithfully that she would never be like the doppelganger before her in anything more than looks.

But she understands now, how easy it must have been for Katherine to just keep them both. They are both so different that there can never be any better or worse. Stefan is so sweet and soft and caring, Damon all rough edges and sarcasm and fire.

When it came down to it, when faced with the moment of truth, there was nothing. She was blank. There was no sound in her throat, no name leaving her lips.

Maybe she should have been surprised when they made the decision for her. But how could she be? She knew better than anyone that the only other person they loved as much as they loved her was each other.

**- o – o – o -**

Damon was never given a choice.

When he realised that Katherine wasn't in the tomb, he could have curled up and died.

Instead, Elena curled up inside him and he lived.

On one hand, it would have been better if he'd seen it coming. At least then he might have been able to get out of the way in time. But no. One minute he's all alone in his eternal damnation, keeping Stefan firmly at arm's length with general snarkiness and intolerable violence, and the next he's feeling her warmth seep into every crevice of his soul. Suddenly Stefan's all up in his face, and she's wrapped around him, and he's playing hero.

It sucks, because death's a lot easier when you don't care about anyone or anything but yourself, but…he kind of likes it too, especially now that they've all stopped with the lying and teenage angst and learned that, actually, they can share and play nice after all.


	10. God Gave Us Memories

**Title:** God Gave Us Memories  
**Chapter: **1/1  
**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Liz Forbes, Caroline Forbes  
**Pairing: **none  
**Genre:** Family/Angst  
**Rating: **G  
**Summary: **Murderer. Bloodsucker. Vampire. _Monster. _Caroline, _her_ Caroline, is none of those things.  
**Spoilers: **up to and including 2x17 "Know Thy Enemy"  
**Warning(s): **none  
**Word Count: **191  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**A/N:** Title is taken from a quote by J.M. Barrie ("God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.") Written for **The Vampire Diaries Free-For-All Comment Ficathon: Part 2** hosted by **softly_me**.

**- o – o – o -**

Caroline came into the world screaming her little lungs out; it started an attention-seeking pattern that's lasted all her 17 years.

And if what Caroline told Matt, and what Matt told Liz, is true, then Liz's daughter left the world in much the same way she entered it: crying out, needing someone.

The difference is that Liz wasn't there the second time.

That first time the nurse laid Caroline in her arms, the baby had squirmed, almost as if she knew that her mother wasn't quite sure what to do with her. But then Liz had smoothed a hand over Caroline's perfect blonde head and she had quietened, easing into sleep.

She can't reconcile the pristine memories of round, baby cheeks and chubby, reaching fingers with all the words she has been taught to hate and fear.

Murderer. Bloodsucker. Vampire. _Monster._

Caroline, _her_ Caroline, is none of those things.

She can't be, because if she is then Liz has failed in the worst way. It is one thing to protect her town and her people from supernatural dangers. It is completely another to do the same for her innocent baby girl.


	11. Family Night

**Title:** Family Night  
**Chapter: **1/1  
**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: **The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Elena Gilbert, Damon Salvatore, mentions of various others  
**Pairing: **implied Stefan/Elena with a hint of Elena/Damon  
**Genre:** Family/Hurt/Comfort  
**Rating: **G  
**Summary: **"Damon, what is this?" He smiles down at her, shrugs and says, "Family Night."  
**Spoilers: **up to and including 2x22 "As I Lay Dying"  
**Warning(s): **none  
**Word Count: **403  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**A/N:** I'm so sorry this sucks so much. When I started it, I had every intention for it to become light-hearted and funny, and then...it didn't. It got kind of cheesy instead. Ugh. Written for **The Vampire Diaries Free-For-All Comment Ficathon: Part 2** hosted by **softly_me**.

**- o – o – o -**

Stefan _(and Klaus, and Katherine, but mostly Stefan)_ has been gone 7 weeks and 3 days when there's a knock at the door one night.

Elena and Jeremy have been compiling all the individual foods they have on the island in the kitchen, trying to piece them together to form some sort of meal _(because even though they're on their own and fending for themselves (they'll never be able to thank Damon enough for pulling some strings to ensure they don't get separated and taken away), they're still not grown up enough to get the hang of shopping lists and pre-planned dinners)._

Jeremy's poking at almost-stale bread and muttering about cheese toasties, and Elena says something encouraging even as she leaves the room wondering if they'll ever eat properly again. As it turns out, the answer is yes, because she pulls open the front door and is confronted by the _(greatly diminished)_ group of people she loves more than anything else in the world.

And they're all holding food.

"Wha—" she manages to say, before Damon steps past her and ushers everyone else inside.

Carrying casseroles and pre-baked pasta dishes and sandwiches and cakes, they troop off into the kitchen, where she hears Jeremy greet them _(or the food they bear anyway)_ enthusiastically.

"Damon..." She realises she's still holding the door wide open and so closes it swiftly. "Damon, what is this?"

He smiles down at her, shrugs and says, "Family Night."

For a moment, there's a brief flare of pain _(where her heart's supposed to be)_; how can they have Family Night when her family has been whittled down to just Jeremy? But then she hears the voices and the laughter in the kitchen.

Her parents are gone, Jenna is gone, John is gone, Stefan is gone. Even Isobel is gone.

But Caroline is here. Bonnie is here. Alaric is here. Even Tyler is here.

_Damon_ is here. Damon, who, even though she has never been religious, she thanks God for every night before she goes to sleep. Damon who has become her strength and normalcy, who makes sure she gets enough sleep, goes to school, puts gas in her car, because she has been forced to become all those things for Jeremy.

This is her family now, and for the first time the memories of faces that should be here but aren't _(and never will be again)_ don't haunt her.


	12. With the Best Intentions

**Title:** With the Best Intentions  
**Chapter: **1/1  
**Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: ** The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Elijah, Jenna Sommers  
**Pairing: **Elijah/Jenna undertones  
**Genre:** Friendship/Humor  
**Rating: **G  
**Summary: **Of all the things Elijah would have expected to throw him off kilter, Jenna Sommers wouldn't even have made the shortlist.  
**Spoilers: **None, but general through Season 2  
**Warning(s):** None  
**Word Count: **433  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**Author's Note:** I don't know about anyone else, but I've been missing Elijah something fierce, so when I was going through some old fic I'd started but never finished and found this one, I just had to finish it off. On another note, I think I ship Elijah with just about everyone, including Elena even though I'm a fervent Delena supporter, so if anyone knows if there's an active Elijah/Elena comm around could you let me know? Thanks so much! :)

**- o – o – o -**

When you've been around as long as Elijah has, and seen as much as Elijah has seen, there are few things left in the world that could possibly fluster you.

Klaus is, he reluctantly grants, one of those things. But Klaus flusters most everyone, and if Elijah has his way, Klaus's days are numbered anyway.

No, of all the things Elijah would have expected to throw him off kilter, Jenna Sommers wouldn't even have made the shortlist.

There is no reason for this. Absolutely _no_ reason. She is not breath-takingly beautiful, nor is she cuttingly intelligent. There is not a cunning or calculating bone in her entire body. She has no clue about the greatest truths of the world.

But she is sweet and welcoming. Her smile is sincere and her laugh inviting. And she refuses to back down in the face of adversity.

Yes, he has heard of how she lost her sister, and returned to the town she had fled in order to take on the care of two teens (two teens with a truly startling ability to attract trouble). She has weathered her nephew's drug addiction, and her niece's determination to do away with herself in the name of martyrdom, though of course, Jenna isn't aware of this last.

However. That is no excuse for his behaviour. He's over one thousand years old, but he find himself looking forward to the moments he can be with her. They have irreverent conversations about the Founders, and the despairing remarks she makes about her lack of domesticity genuinely make him laugh and want to comfort her simultaneously (he's certain he'll _never_ forget her tale about the chicken and the microwave no matter how long he roams this earth).

Jenna is quirky and funny, and making the best she can of what she has. She questions everything and he loves her inquiring mind. But he senses she's drawing dangerously close to the line her friends and family have drawn between her and them in their pathetic efforts to protect her. They will fail, he knows this, and he knows they know as well.

Which is why, as Jenna pours him a cup of coffee (just about the only thing she can successfully make), he promises himself that he will pick up the slack, and protect her where the others cannot. Not since Katerina has there been anyone he wanted to protect so much.

**- o – o – o -**

After, when it's all said and done, Jenna is his one regret.

He wonders if she hates him, wherever she is now.

She should.

He does.

**- o – o – o -**

**A/N2:** Part of me wonders if I started this because of a prompt or a fic-a-thon or something. It's very possible, but I haven't noted anything down, so if you think you might have left a prompt somewhere to inspire something like this, let me know and I'll put in a credit.


	13. Sorta Step Daddy's Girl

**Title:** (Sorta Step-) Daddy's Girl  
**Chapter: **1/1**  
Author:** ladyknight1512  
**Fandom: ** The Vampire Diaries (TV-verse)  
**Characters:** Alaric Saltzman, with mentions of Damon and Elena  
**Pairing: **References to Damon/Elena  
**Genre:** Humor/Family  
**Rating: **T**  
Summary: **Damon is not the kind of guy men want for their daughters.  
**Spoilers:** 3x01, just to be safe  
**Warning(s):** None  
**Word Count: **212  
**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of L. J. Smith, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.  
**Author's Note: **I actually wrote this way back after Season 2 ended but never posted it for some reason. Figured I might as well post it now.

**- o – o – o -**

To tell the truth, Ric never had a problem with the idea of Elena dating Damon. Sure, he never said it out loud, but he thought more than once that they would be good for each other—she smoothed out his rough edges, he brought her to life—if she and Stefan ever broke up.

All those thoughts, though? They were made from the perspective of an objective, third party friend.

And now? Now he's practically the girl's father—he lives in their house, makes sure she and Jeremy eat balanced diets, and bullies them into doing homework—and all the new Daddy reactions are flashing lights in his brain and screaming at him that DAMON IS NOT THE KIND OF GUY MEN WANT FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS!

For God's sake, the man is an alcoholic, and makes no secret of his love for sex and women. All that would be bad enough, but no, he has to be a vampire too. A vampire with a well-documented tendency to fly off the handle and kill people. Like, say, Ric himself.

So he's trying to do the right thing by keeping an eye on the two of them and offer vaguely paternal advice.

It just figures that Damon's stubbornness is matched only by Elena's.


End file.
